NEWS
CNG chokehold affecting dealers, drivers
President of the Petroleum Dealers Association Robin Narayansingh says the government should rethink its decision to promote the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) as the operating cost for service stations has become unsustainable. This, he said, may be the reason why some service stations which sold CNG may not be doing so at this time. CNG is an eco-friendly, affordable alternative to gasoline. It costs most drivers $14 for a full tank, but Narayansingh said service station owners are sometimes left with a monthly electricity bill, at industrial rates, of over $20,000. Read more here
More immigration officers go for COVID tests today as cases climb
Two more immigration officers have tested positive for COVID-19 pushing the total to 13 and triggering an immediate suspension of the two remaining shifts rostered to man the Piarco International Airport yesterday. Another 84 immigration officers opted not to go to work but instead have gone into quarantine and are to be tested today. Two of the positive immigration officers have been admitted to the hospital. Read more here
POLITICS
UNC: Rowley needs to care about Trinidadians home and abroad
The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) says the Prime Minister needs to care about Trinidadians at home and those locked out abroad while the borders are closed. In a statement to the media on Sunday, the Opposition called for “humanitarianism” to be shown to Trinidadians rather than “pleading for humanitarianism” for Venezuela and Cuba. The UNC said it must be “ironic and angering” for citizens still unable to come home to see Dr Rowley, who is also Caricom chairman, asking the US to lift sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba. Read more here
Minister: WASA’s water trucking service ‘organised crime’
Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales is describing the Water and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) water trucking service “as organised crime, corruption and chaos” vowing to root out all levels of unscrupulous and illegal misconduct within the authority. Gonzales was responding to the 135-page report of the Cabinet sub-committee appointed to review the operations of WASA which identified its water trucking service to be “corruption-laced.” On Friday, the report will be laid in Parliament. Read more here
BUSINESS
A growing global trend
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) refers to a form of sustainable investing which focuses on not just the financial returns, but its overall impact. Read more here
REGIONAL
Stena DrillMAX sails into Guyana’s waters
Work in Guyana’s burgeoning petroleum sector is progressing expeditiously, with Stena Drilling’s DrillMAX sailing into local waters to commence exploratory and appraisal drilling at ExxonMobil’s Longtail-3 well in the Stabroek Block. Public and Government Affairs Advisor at ExxonMobil Guyana, Janelle Persaud, informed the Guyana Chronicle, on Saturday, that the vessel arrived offshore less than a week ago. The Stena DrillMAX joins the Stena Carron, the Noble Don Taylor, the Noble Bob Douglas and the Noble Tom Madden offshore Guyana. “It will begin with exploration and appraisal drilling of the Longtail-3 well in the Stabroek Block,” Persaud said. Read more here
Vaccine galore - Gov’t lands deal to receive 1.8 million doses next month
The Government has announced that it has reached a deal with the African Medical Supply Platform for the delivery of 1.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, starting next month. The announcement comes as the Holness administration is under pressure to commence vaccination against the disease that has caused the public-health system to creak under record hospitalisations and infections in February. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump unleashes new threat to American democracy
Donald Trump has no remorse about the deadly violence he incited with his lies about a stolen election in his uprising against the US Congress. This much was clear when the ex-President put the Republican Party on notice on Sunday that he intends to use his hold on its grassroots to try to suppress the vote heading into the presidential election in 2024, in which he hinted he might run. In his first public remarks since leaving the White House, he also dangerously lashed out at Supreme Court justices for failing to intervene to throw him the election he clearly lost to President Joe Biden. Read more here
Myanmar coup: Aung San Suu Kyi appears in court to face fresh charges
Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi has been seen for the first time since she was detained in a military coup, after she appeared in court via video link. The ousted leader appeared to be in "good health" and asked to see her legal team, reports say. Two new charges were announced against Ms Suu Kyi, who was arrested after the 1 February coup. Meanwhile, protesters took to the streets again despite Sunday seeing the deadliest day yet with 18 killed. The deaths came as the military and police ramped up their response to demonstrations across the South East Asian nation over the weekend, firing into the crowds. Read more here
1st March 2021